Give with one hand and whack over the head with the other

HATS off to the Commonwealth Bank for volunteering to pause regional branch closures while a Senate inquiry into the impact of said closures on small communities gets underway.

As a sign of “good faith” the CBA said it was pausing the closure of two branches. That must hurt.

It’s all too little too late for the hinterland though with the CBA cutting and running last year.

It followed the ANZ, which exited the year prior. Just the BoQ waves the flag now for full service banking in the region.

Interestingly the bank made its “good faith” announcement just a week before announcing another headline-making revelation: That it recorded a $5.15 billion half year profit.

That’s a 9 per cent rise at a time when the country and now we’re charged $2.50 or more by private operators for the privilege of holding cash. limits at shopping centres etc. Transport Minister Mark Bailey has now stopped operators accessing registration details to pursue breach notices and while private operators have been a bit quiet, ASX-listed Smart Parking - whose shares fell sharply after the announcement - put out a statement that said the move would have an effect on its Queensland operations. industrialists and scientists managed to get it under control by agreeing the Montreal Protocol in 1987

I’m sure the CBA has already largely delivered on its scorched-earth regional closures KPIs, so let’s take this temporary pause on closures with a grain of salt.

Thanks big banks, we’re grateful for your service.

Acid rain was indeed a big problem when the headline was written in 1980, but in the same year US Congress started to get sulphur emissions under control with the Acid Deposition Act.

Four of Shane’s items relate to the possible return to an ice age.

When I graduated in geology in 1962, recent acquisition of deep sea cores showed that Milankovich was right about minor orbital perturbations tipping the planet in and out of ice ages.

If you had asked me then I would have said that we looked to be a bit overdue for the next glaciation, but without any ‘alarm’. A second factor was that between 1944 and 1968 the planet cooled by 0.1C because the burst of industrialisation and agriculture was accompanied by a lot smoke, sulphur and dust.

This cooled the planet faster than the increasing CO2 was heating it.

Popular demand for breathing clean air resulted in the addition of sulphur scrubbers and dust precipitators to factory chimneys, and the planet resumed heating. However during this period it was easy for a journalist to make a sensational story by combining the two factors.

Shane perpetuates the denialist myth that “the list of doomsday predictions that climate alarmists got right add up to zero”.

Not so. Peterson et al. (2008) examined technical publications 1965 – 1980 and found only 10 per cent suggested global cooling but 62 per cent warned of global heating and they were right.

David Lowry

I wouldn’t advise people to not pay their ‘breach notice’ and see what happens, but if, of your own volition, you didn’t pay up - were you even driving the car that day? - it would be interesting to see how far the matter would be pursued. Do you want to ‘fine’ out?

Glasshouse History Group

Time: Tuesday 1.30pm

Where: Glass House Mountains Neighbourhood Centre (behind the Post Office)

Info: All welcome to bring along their memories, photographs or interesting objects. Afternoon tea is available. Alternatively email us at glasshouse.history@gmail.com

Feb 21

Pride, Pancakes and Unconditional Love

Time: Tuesday, 6pm

Where: Montville Village Hall

Bunya Dreaming

Time: Saturday, from 11am – sundown

Where: Ewen Maddock Dam, Steve Irwin Way (opposite Big Kart Track) Landsborough

Feb 25

International Women’s Day Brekky

Time: Wednesday, 7-9am

Where: CWA Hall, Simpson Street Beerwah

Mar 8

Feb 21

Info: A Shrove Tuesday supper with guest speaker Jayne Ozanne, Director of the Global Interfaith Commission on LGBT+ Lives. Jaynes shares her journey from self-acceptance to public advocacy, promoting the sacred call to unconditional love of all. In partnership with The Rangebow Festival. Enquiries: Deborah Bird maleny@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Pancake Morning Tea

Time: Tuesday, 10am

Where: Uniting Church, Twin Peaks Rd, Beerwah

Info: Bunya Dreaming is an annual celebration of the significance of the Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) in First Nations culture. Activities include Bunya feasting, competitions, bushfoods, bush medicine, challenges, dance, ceremony, fire, yarning, workshops and more! The event is family friendly, all generations are welcome. Book tickets at www.barunglandcare. org.au/bunya-dreaming/ $20 adults (18 years +); $5 for 12-17 year olds; Children under 12 years are free Challenge entry: $2 donation. This is a drug and alcohol free event.

Feb 21

Info: All are welcome to come along for a pancake morning tea at the Uniting Church followed by a presentation on the Oberammergau Passion Play, in Germany 2022.

Card

Night at CWA Hall

Time: Thursday, 6.45-10pm

Where: QCWA Hall, Simpson Street, Beerwah

Feb 23

Info: Do you like playing cards but don’t have anyone to play with? The Beerwah community card group meet weekly to play 500 and Canasta. Running in excess of 10 years at the QCWA Beerwah Hall, and new players are always welcomed. The cost is $3 per night with supper provided by members in turn. For further details please email: qcwabeerwah@gmail.com

Mapleton Hall Country Market

Time: Saturday 8am - 12pm

Where: Mapleton Hall, 31 Obi Obi Rd

War On Waste Pop Up

Time: Saturday, 9am - 12noon

Where: K-Hub, Beerwah Village

Feb 25

Info: War On Waste Glasshouse Country will be outside K-Hub, Beerwah providing information and answering questions about how to reduce, reuse, repair, resell, recycle and compost. Come along and say hello!

Tibetan New Year

Time: Sunday 9.30am - 12pm

Where: Namgyalgar, 206 Woodford Road, Glass House Mountains

Feb 25

Info: As part of the Glasshouse and Hinterland Market Trail we welcome you to join us. Pick up your sourdoughs, pestos, honey, jams, chutneys, a barista coffee, waffles with seasonal fruit, cream or icecream. Listen to live music then wander inside and outside the hall with plants, herbs, leather products, massage and so much more. See you there!

Feb 26

Info: Celebrate Tibetan New Year (Losar) with a family celebration bringing in the year of the Water Hare. Traditional Losar breakfast, Khaita Tibetan song and dance, Tibetan games, family colouring in, mountain views and demonstration of meditative dance, concluding with a light lunch. Tickets $25 (Adults), $8 (Kids 6+). Search eventbrite.com.au or email bookings.namgyalgar@gmail.com

Beerwah Bulldogs Launch Night

Time: Saturday from 4pm

Where: Beerwah Sports Grounds

Mar 4

Info: Come and join the fun in kicking off the Beerwah Bulldogs 2023 season at this family friendly event. Canteen and bar will be open with live music, rides for the whole family, face painting, footy kicking competition, raffles and fireworks.

Info:QCWA Beerwah will be hosting their 2023 International Women’s Day Breakfast with special guest speakers. Enjoy a light breakfast inspired by QCWA Country Kitchens recipes, lucky door prizes, and panel discussion. Tickets $25 available through trybooking.com.au

Motorcycle Club Swap Meet

Time: Saturday from 6am

Where: Maleny Showgrounds

Mar 11

Info: On March 11, the Sunshine Coast branch of the Historical Motorcycle Club will hold their annual Swap Meet at the Maleny Showgrounds. Motorcycle enthusiasts from around the country will descend on the Showgrounds for what will be the 29th Maleny Swap. Not only does the swap fund the running of our club, but the money raised supports charities which include the Qld Cancer Council, Prostate Cancer and Bloomhill Cancer Care to name a few. Entry tickets $10, Stall tickets $10.

Stamp Fair

Time: Saturday 8.30am - 3.30pm

Where: Kawana Community Centre, Naminya Street, Buddina (off Point Cartwright Road)

Mar 18

Info: The Caloundra and Sunshine Coast Stamp Clubs are hosting a joint Stamp Fair and welcome members of the public to come along for free. There will be SEQLD Stamp Clubs and professional stamp dealers in attendance, with viewing and the opportunity to purchase. There will be on site refreshments, ample parking is available with ground floor disabled access.

Maleny Film Festival

Time: Various film times over three days

Where: Maleny Community Centre

Mar 24-26

Info: The Maleny Film Society is pleased to present a curated selection of four films about writers at work. The festival will showcase She Said (USA, 2022), Adaptation (USA, 2001), Paterson (USA, 2016) and Lost Illusions (France, 2021). Keep an eye on the website for more information www.malenyshowsociety.com.au

Paul Ballum-Cross Concert

Time: Sunday 2pm

Where: St George’s Anglican Church, Maleny

Mar 26

Info: Come and enjoy this afternoon of classics and compositions executed with skill, sensitivity and joy. Paul, who has a Doctorate in Musicology, is a well-known and respected musician, composer, and teacher in the Brisbane community. His performance includes pieces by Mompou, Arregui, Sor and Tarrega. Tickets are available through trybooking.com